Around the same time that the pumpkin-flavored coffee drinks appear in your local coffee shop, another annual event will take place that may send you reeling like a triple shot of espresso. Yes, it’s almost that time of year: parent-teacher conferences. Your child means the world to you, so …

As a former Jewish summer camper, Moving Traditions CEO Deborah Meyer said camp was a place where she developed long-lasting friendships and an intense connection to Jewish life. But it was also a place where she remembers some inappropriate behavior between counselors.

For generations, children have spent their summers climbing trees, escaping on small adventures and meeting new friends. In addition to pure summer fun, these activities provided children with hands-on ways to develop life skills.

It’s tough to be a teenager. On top of academic pressure and the usual dose of teen drama, it’s become expected to be part of extracurricular groups. Luckily, the Jewish community has multiple organizations that teens can get involved with, from youth groups to travel programs. But where doe…

Faith Kessler was the only person from Arizona who went on the BBYO Spain Discovery high school youth group trip this summer. Spain Discovery is a two-week cultural travel opportunity for teens to explore Spanish cities and meet the Jewish communities there. Kessler, a senior at Arizona Agri…

Every summer, Bruce and Barbara Goldberg of Phoenix escape the city’s oppressive heat by retreating to their Flagstaff vacation home. They love having their grandchildren visit for the summer, and are thrilled to give them the special treat of attending Northern Arizona’s only Jewish day cam…

When the new website Mitzvah Hub, a partnership between Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix and Jewish Family and Children’s Service, launches this fall, it will become much easier to find volunteer opportunities within the Jewish community.

Rachel Kaplan dreamed of having a fur baby since she was in preschool at Temple Kol Ami. In her second book, “The Adventures of Smokey,” she recounts the tale of adopting and learning to care for her first dog.

You’re starting to think about summer and what you’re going to do with the kids for two-plus months — er, we mean, how you're going to provide your darlings with a meaningful and fun summer experience.

The east end of the main hall of the Valley of the Sun JCC (The J) was abuzz with activity on Sunday morning. Representatives from more than a dozen Jewish summer camps from around the country worked their tables, talking to prospective campers and their parents about the amenities and progr…

It’s time for school again, but it’s not always easy to get kids back into the reading habit if they’ve been doing other activities all summer. Here, then, to re-engage little minds are a few Kar-Ben books you’ll find either in bookstores or online. These picks can also serve as terrific rea…

With August more than half over, the school-supply shopping sprees, first-day fashion decisions and maybe even a little last-minute summer reading are underway. Even if some kids are less than excited about the end of their relative freedom, they have much to look forward to when it comes to…

Getting teens to become involved in community organizations isn’t always easy. But when they do venture out, many describe their experiences as “life-changing,” “the best times of my life,” “home away from home” and “I just feel connected there.”

Families who receive free Jewish books or music CDs each month from PJ Library say the program has influenced or supported how they talk about and practice Jewish traditions in their home, according to a new study.

As part of a pen pal program, a group of fourth-graders at Navajo Elementary School in Scottsdale enjoyed a one-of-a-kind experience last month – the chance to have lunch and meet with local elderly residents who they had been pen pals with throughout the semester. One of the pen pals, Dorot…

In an effort to build a Jewish teen community across the Valley, Jewish News and The League present Teen Scene, featuring monthly content devoted to teen programming. Here is a recap of recent events and a roundup of events to come.

The Valley will be alive with the sound of music on May 22, when Pardes Jewish Day School showcases its students’ abilities in the Pardes Performing Arts Concert. The concert includes a rock band, violinists, dancers and the lower school choir, the Mazaltones.

Ethan Cohen and Jack Ratterman, both 16, have devoted most of their lives to soccer, and now that devotion – and talent – has propelled the teens onto Team USA’s youth boys’ soccer team at the upcoming 20th Maccabiah Games in Israel.

In an effort to build a Jewish teen community across the Valley, Jewish News and The League present Teen Scene, featuring monthly content devoted to teen programming. Here is a recap of recent events and a roundup of events to come.

From the wizardry of Harry Potter that echoes with Passover’s themes to a cartoon frog who wisecracks his way through the seder, this year’s new crop of Passover books for kids offers something for all ages and interests.